Imphal, April 15 2010: In a major setback to its own plan to hold the Autonomous District Council elections after a gap of more than 20 years, the State Election Commission could not issue the notification for the first phase today pending the green signal from the State Government.

Notably, it was already slated that notification for the first phase would be issued today.

According to an official source in the State Election Commission, the schedule of the two-phase elections recommended by the Commission to the State Government was approved by the Government.

In the meantime, the Commission has completed compilation of electoral rolls and identification of polling stations on March 27 .

Even though the Government approved the election schedule, the State Election Commission was yet to receive any official intimation to go ahead with the schedule till date.

With the Government's green signal not forthcoming, the Commission could not issue notification for the first phase today.

As per the schedule proposed by the Commission to the Government to elect 144 members to the six Autonomous District Councils, notification for the first phase of polls to be held in Churachandpur, Sadar Hills and Chandel was to be announced ADCs should have been issued today (April 15) while the polling was fixed on May 17 .

The same schedule fixed the date of notification for the second phase covering Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Senapati ADCs on April 22 whereas date of polling was fixed on May 24 .

With the whole schedule put into disarray following the Commission's failure to issue the notification today, it can be assumed that the whole schedule has been cancelled, informed the source.

The election schedule will be fixed anew, it added.

Subsequent upon deferment of the ADC polls notification, the matter would be discussed in a Cabinet meeting on April 21 .

More than seven lakh electorates are expected to exercise their franchise during the two phase elections spread across 1020 polling stations.

On being enquired about the inability of the Election Commission to issue notification today, a top official of Tribal Development Department said that the Department had not receiving any official permission from the State Government till date to go ahead with the election schedule already announced.

However, one Minister in the SPF Government said that the State Cabinet took a decision and approved the election schedule prepared by the State Election Commission.

Another Minister said that the polls has to be deferred as preparations for the elections are not fully in place.

Efforts to contact the TD Minister regarding the matter proved futile.

Notably, some organisations have been imposing economic blockade on national highways demanding amendment of the District Council (Third Amendment) Act.